Janice Turner The Times 21/2/20 Giving puberty blocker to ‘trans’ children is a leap into the unknown

I'm really trying to give leeway for a poor choice of words.

But I'm failing. That is properly chilling.

I can't help but be reminded of the words of one "professional" in the area of gender dysphoria

Dr. Spack recalled being at a meeting in Europe about 15 years ago, when he learned that the Dutch were using puberty blockers in transgender early adolescents.

"I was salivating,” he recalled. “I said we had to do this.”

The puberty-blocking protocol gained legitimacy in 2009, when it was endorsed by the Endocrine Society

These people would make Frankenstein turn in his grave.

Fantastic article, probably the best I've read to date.

@RubyViolet I'm so sorry your family is going through this. Exactly why there needs to be a more rigid process at best. Hoping for both your people to find some peace x

Janice - its official - I love you.

Wow and thank you .... so darn clear. The kind of article which should have been written uncontroversially years ago - a gentle exploring of what was being to happen.

But no - not possible in current climate - so years later it takes a brave (yes, genuinely brave) journalist to do this.

Thank you!

And loving the comments underneath too - people really getting it! Wow!!!!!

I also misgendered my cousin. Honestly l am so upset.
This whole issue is a minefield.

And l misgendered my Godchild above. Don’t want to be reported. Honestly this is so bloody difficult. Three different sets of pronouns and three different names over 7 years. I can be forgiven that !

It’s painful to read this. As someone who has 2 young people in my family who are going through gender questioning.
My Godson came out as a Trans Woman (early twenties) and has now changed his mind and is non-binary. Pronouns changed 3 times over 7 years. He/him to She/Her, and now They/Them. I worry so much about them but thankfully they have stopped taking hormones so we as a family feel we can breathe. No surgery, hopefully no long term damage to their body.
My beautiful cousin.A young Lesbian who had mental health problems and a very chaotic upbringing. She is now post mastectomy, post hormones a very unhappy Trans Man. I cannot say what her future will be. The transition hasn’t addressed or helped any of her mental health issues, it’s so much worse for her. She doesn’t pass, she feels more judged for her appearance than before. It’s heartbreaking.
I wonder if all of their issues could have been addressed with a properly funded mental health service.
Trans sometimes feels to me that it is a bandaid covering much deeper issues.
Anyway...thanks to Janice. Finally someone brave enough to tell it like it is. Off for a glass of wine, so depressing.

It's an outstanding article. I also don't regret for a moment swapping my subscription from the toxic Guardian to the Times. It's been fascinating to see the increase in comments under all these articles and very pleasing to see so many men as well as women understanding and debating the nuances. On occasions the discussions happening below the article can be as powerful / informative as the main article.

Brilliant article

There should surely be a moratorium on the prescription of these blockers to children until a full review has been carried out.

Of course they shouldn't be. Sensible article.

Amazing article. I've yet to regret switching from the Guardian to the Times for a single second. She got everything - although the inevitable pushback on the '100% of kids on blockers go on to cross sex hormones' angle is that maybe the clinicians give the right kids the blockers.

I'm sure the answer is in the 'paucity of research' side of things.

Fab stuff again from Janice. I sent her a card at Christmas to thank her for standing up on this. Also thanked Simon Fanshawe via LinkedIn. I wanted them both to know that their courage and honesty has been a beam of light in dark times.

I feel totally appalled for those poor children.

Janice - I would definitely marry you! What a star!

Shocking and frightening stuff.

Although, I have to to say I do feel a bit sorry for parents of trans children who have gone down the medical pathway. I can't imagine how they must feel with all of this coming out.

Another amazing article. Thank you Janice

Oh that’s a brilliant article, brava Janice. I am in awe of the clarity she brings when she writes about this, along with her bravery in speaking out in the first place. Total shero, one of many in the GC ranks

Waves to Janice 👋. Thanks.

Great article.

Janice isn't pulling the punches there. Great work!

Wow! That's a great article - it's all so clearly laid out. There is going to be a lot of court cases in the next few years from people who were damaged as children by this.

It’s great! She’s got a bit of everything in it!

Wow. That's by far the strongest and most direct thing I've yet seen in the mainstream press on the whole area. She isn't beating around the bush